Winning Discipline

1 Corinthians 9:19-27

Discipline is one of the most hated terms of our times . . . right alongside patience and self-control. But have you noticed how often it comes up in the testimonies of those who win?

The apostle Paul says that he willingly forfeited his apostolic rights for the sake of winning more. That took discipline. Paul says that he endured all things in order to reach his objective; he exercised “self-control in all things.”

Here are key uses of discipline:

  • No runner completes the training or a race without it.
  • No weight-loss program is maintained without it.
  • No human body is kept fit without it.
  • No mind is sharpened without it.
  • No temptation is overcome without it.

If you want to put a stop to mediocrity, to replace excuses with fresh determination and procrastination with tough-minded perseverance, you need discipline. Winners know that disciplined persistence must be a major part of their training. That’s the only way victory becomes an attainable reality rather than a distant dream.

The undisciplined is a headache to himself and a heartache to others, and is unprepared to face the stern realities of life. (Wheaton College Bulletin)

Discipline is the only thing that makes victory an attainable reality rather than a distant dream.

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Taken from Day by Day with Charles Swindoll by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 2000 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. Used by permission of Thomas Nelson. www.thomasnelson.com

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Accuracy, clarity, and practicality all describe the Bible-teaching ministry of Charles R. Swindoll. Chuck is the chairman of the board at Insight for Living and the chancellor of Dallas Theological Seminary. Chuck also serves as the senior pastor of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas, where he is able to do what he loves most—teach the Bible to willing hearts. His focus on practical Bible application has been heard on the Insight for Living radio broadcast since 1979.